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🇺🇸 United States /Economy & Trade

Drought, rising costs and beef imports squeeze Wyoming ranchers

From CBS News · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Wyoming ranchers face drought, high operating costs and limited land as they struggle to maintain or rebuild cattle herds.
  • Cattle values fell sharply after President Donald Trump announced a 90-day waiver allowing up to 300,000 metric tons of ground beef imports without the out-of-quota tariff.
  • The White House said the move would lower beef prices for consumers, while ranchers warned it could weaken their businesses and force more herd sales.

For Wyoming ranchers already battered by drought, high costs and scarce land, the temporary easing of beef import tariffs brought another shock. Mark Eisele, who raises nearly 1,500 cattle outside Cheyenne, said the value of cattle fell 10% overnight after the announcement.

“If that was in any other market, it would be earth-shattering. We’re going to have to absorb that,” Eisele told CBS News.

If that was in any other market, it would be earth-shattering. We’re going to have to absorb that.

· Mark EiseleThe Wyoming rancher described the immediate effect of the tariff announcement on cattle values.

President Donald Trump announced on August 21 that the United States would allow up to 300,000 metric tons of ground beef into the country over 90 days without the tariff normally triggered when imports exceed a quota. The waiver took effect on September 1.

This deal will reduce prices for Americans while giving space for our Great American Beef Herd to grow again.

· Donald TrumpThe president’s rationale for temporarily expanding ground beef imports.

Cattle futures fell sharply after the announcement. Some Chicago Mercantile Exchange contracts reached eight-month lows before recovering part of the decline, and futures closed Friday about 2% below their level before the announcement. The White House said the temporary expansion would help reduce beef prices, which have risen to nearly $7 a pound from $2.93 in 2021.

“This deal will reduce prices for Americans while giving space for our Great American Beef Herd to grow again,” Trump said. Ranchers, however, said imports could undercut their businesses just as they try to rebuild shrinking herds.

It’s been a year that I hope we never do it again. Guys were forced to make some really tough decisions this year and sell cattle that they didn’t want to.

· Lander NicodemusThe livestock market owner described the pressures facing ranchers.

The pressure is already forcing difficult choices. Lander Nicodemus, who owns Torrington Livestock Markets, said the year had pushed ranchers to sell cattle they wanted to keep. Shawn Harris, a Georgia rancher and Democratic congressional nominee, said high costs for tariffs, diesel and fertilizer were already straining producers and warned the import plan could drive some out of business.

Right now, we got crazy input costs when it comes to tariffs and diesel, fertilizer, everything. And now farmers are about to sell cattle, and we’re going to lose a lot of them.

· Shawn HarrisThe Georgia rancher warned that high costs and the import plan could push producers out of business.
About this summary

Originally published by CBS News in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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